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Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: urbanite on December 01, 2013, 09:23:55 PM



Title: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: urbanite on December 01, 2013, 09:23:55 PM
You're Still A Mystery - Is it BW or J. Foskett that sings the falsetto parts on this song?  Who produced this song?  

I heard this song for the first time on Saturday and it's pretty darn good.  Maybe the best BW lead vocal since MIU.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 01, 2013, 10:36:20 PM
Could be Matt Jardine. As for who produced... BW did the vocals, and the track with Andy Paley.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: urbanite on December 01, 2013, 10:39:33 PM
I thought I had heard that Don Was had been involved in putting this gem together, but Wilson and Paley it is.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 01, 2013, 10:47:24 PM
Go to the shows & sessions sections of 10452 (link in my quotes section below) and look up 1995, and the foot notes. Explained there. I would tell you now, but the trains were a mess last night, I got home at 2.15am instead of eleven and I'm working in about two hours.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: c-man on December 02, 2013, 03:27:49 AM
No Foskett, rather Matt Jardine with Brian, Carl, Bruce, Al, and Mike.  Unlike "Soul Searchin'", this one retains the track produced at Oceanway by Don Was, Brian Wilson, and Andy Paley.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Autotune on December 02, 2013, 03:33:35 AM
Am I wrong, or was it confirmed (Boyd?) that the high part on Mystery is Matt+Carl?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Nathan Snyder on December 02, 2013, 05:38:00 AM
Am I wrong, or was it confirmed (Boyd?) that the high part on Mystery is Matt+Carl?

Yes, you are correct.  It was confirmed to be Matt and Carl.  And once you know, you can easily pick Carl out.  Very cool.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: pixletwin on December 02, 2013, 11:54:44 AM
Am I wrong, or was it confirmed (Boyd?) that the high part on Mystery is Matt+Carl?

I read that too. I think cman said it first and the Boyd backed him up.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Wrightfan on December 02, 2013, 01:55:06 PM
Am I wrong, or was it confirmed (Boyd?) that the high part on Mystery is Matt+Carl?

Yes, you are correct.  It was confirmed to be Matt and Carl.  And once you know, you can easily pick Carl out.  Very cool.

No kidding. I had a V8 moment  :lol


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: startBBtoday on December 02, 2013, 06:46:08 PM
Did Matt Jardine ever play an instrument besides a tambourine or bongos?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Camus on December 02, 2013, 07:20:58 PM
Aren't the "It's happening again, I thought you were my friend,  help me through this please" falsetto vocals Brian?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on December 02, 2013, 08:17:48 PM
No Foskett, rather Matt Jardine with Brian, Carl, Bruce, Al, and Mike.  Unlike "Soul Searchin'", this one retains the track produced at Oceanway by Don Was, Brian Wilson, and Andy Paley.

Wait, so despite what has been said, the vocals on "You're Still A Mystery" were not pasted onto the earlier Paley track? But "Soul Searchin'", however, was. They took the vocals from late '95 at Ocean Way and put those together with the earlier track from Brian and Paley. Has the Was-helmed redone "Soul Searchin'" track ever surfaced?

Aren't the "It's happening again, I thought you were my friend,  help me through this please" falsetto vocals Brian?

I'm pretty sure on the version that was floating around the internet for years, it was indeed Brian on those parts. At least it sounded like it to me. However, the official version of the song is apparently Carl and Matt Jardine. And while I can definitely hear Matt, I gotta say I just can't hear Carl. Can somebody somehow figure out to get me hear Carl on there?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: urbanite on December 02, 2013, 09:18:31 PM
I don't hear Carl Wilson on my box version of the song either.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Micha on December 02, 2013, 10:11:28 PM
Can somebody somehow figure out to get me hear Carl on there?

Just a side question: Would that make you enjoy the recording more?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on December 02, 2013, 11:07:28 PM
Can somebody somehow figure out to get me hear Carl on there?

Just a side question: Would that make you enjoy the recording more?

Not particularly, especially because what I hear doesn't sound much like him. And I was used to the other version before this one came out anyways. So it's whatever.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jay on December 03, 2013, 12:19:04 AM
I can hear somebody who doesn't sound like Brian or Carl. I guess it's Matt. I don't really hear Carl either. I'll give the MIC version a listen and report back.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 03, 2013, 01:01:53 AM
Have revised the footnote on 10452, something I think I'll be doing a lot of once Craig's MiC sessionography hits the 'net. Can't wait.  ;D


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: metal flake paint on December 03, 2013, 01:15:42 AM
Did Matt Jardine ever play an instrument besides a tambourine or bongos?

Yes, he's credited with having played electric, bass, and acoustic guitars, and a Boss DR-770 on "Faded", a self-composed track featured on ESQ's exclusive Carl Wilson tribute CD from 2006.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: STE on December 03, 2013, 02:41:28 AM

I still would like to know what the background vocals say in the chorus.
I've only been wondering for 15 years or so.



Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 03, 2013, 03:43:44 AM
To these ears they go something like:

It's happenin' again [Tell me your secrets, try now]
I thought you were my friend [give it to me straight now, what you need is]
What part of you is free [need a little hand now, to break the key*]
Help me find the key [gotta find the key now]

* I know, this doesn't make any sense... but that's what it sounds like.  ;D


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: STE on December 03, 2013, 04:58:07 AM
To these ears they go something like:

It's happenin' again [Tell me your secrets, try now]
I thought you were my friend [give it to me straight now, what you need is]
What part of you is free [need a little hand now, to break the key*]
Help me find the key [gotta find the key now]

* I know, this doesn't make any sense... but that's what it sounds like.  ;D

Thanks, it's a possibility but the parts in italic are still a mistery (see what I did there?)..
I hear something like:

It's happening again
- Tell me your secrets (would? you try now??)
I thought you were my friend
- Give it to me straight now (what? ? ? inside?)
Help me through this please
- Need a little hand now (? ? the key)
Help me find a key
- Gotta find a key now (you're still a mistery)
You're still a mistery

Also, I hear "What part of you is free" as "Help me through this please".
Bear in mind, I'm not an English native speaker.


Opinions?





Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: pixletwin on December 03, 2013, 07:10:36 AM
Have revised the footnote on 10452, something I think I'll be doing a lot of once Craig's MiC sessionography hits the 'net. Can't wait.  ;D

Indeed. Looking forward to reading it very VERY much.  :3d


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Wah Wah Wah Ooooo on December 03, 2013, 07:21:09 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Wirestone on December 03, 2013, 07:43:56 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on December 03, 2013, 07:49:42 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.

You're a great poster Wirestone, but I don't like seeing the wrong people getting credit. I'm pretty sure it was c-man who said when the lead is from, and it's actually 1999.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Wirestone on December 03, 2013, 08:39:43 AM
Duly noted. Yet another reason to avoid posting right after I get up in the morning!


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: SloopJohnB on December 03, 2013, 01:31:14 PM
"need a little hand now"

I always heard this as "Give a little hint now". Could be wrong though.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: c-man on December 07, 2013, 09:25:40 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.

You're a great poster Wirestone, but I don't like seeing the wrong people getting credit. I'm pretty sure it was c-man who said when the lead is from, and it's actually 1999.

True, it was I who shared that tidbit of info - after Alan told me!  :)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: urbanite on December 07, 2013, 01:36:08 PM
Are there any other songs from that time period that are as good as You're Still A Mystery, that are unreleased?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Disney Boy (1985) on December 07, 2013, 01:51:27 PM
Are there any other songs from that time period that are as good as You're Still A Mystery, that are unreleased?

Hope so - what an amazing tune. If Where I Belong is their best song of the '80's, You're Still A Mystery is their best of the '90's (not much competition I know, but still....)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on December 08, 2013, 10:09:50 AM
Are there any other songs from that time period that are as good as You're Still A Mystery, that are unreleased?

Well there are quite a few "Brian Wilson" songs from that era, mostly unreleased. It's pretty well known that most of the songs were apparently planned to be Beach Boys tunes, however only "Soul Searchin'" and "You're Still A Mystery" were anywhere close to being complete with Beach Boys vocals. There is also one other tune with Beach Boys vocals, that song being "Baywatch Nights" aka "Dancin' the Night Away", which has a cool rockin' backing track and a nice vocal by Carl, followed by a really nice part by the group. However, it was never finished, as far as we know. However, I suppose they coooouuuld have added vocals to it last year during the reunion? Sure hope they did.

As far as the other BW songs from this era, here's what I know of:

"This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" (released as b-side of solo "Do It Again" single)
"In My Moondreams" (released on the album Pulp Surfin')
"Gettin' In Over My Head" (released in a rerecorded version on GIOMH)
"Desert Drive" (released with 2002 [?] vocal on GIOMH)
"Saturday Morning In The City" (released with rerecorded vocal on GIOMH)
"Sweets For My Sweet" (released on Till The Night Is Gone: A Tribute To Doc Pomus)
"This Could Be The Night" (absolutely awesome Nilsson cover, released on For The Love Of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson)
"Chain Reaction of Love"
"Mary Anne"
"Market Place"
"Proud Mary"
"Must Be A Miracle"
"I'm Broke"
"It's Not Easy Being Me"
"Slightly American Music"
"God Did It"
"Some Sweet Day"
"Frankie Avalon"
"Elbow '63"
"Goin' Home"
(not the song from TLOS)


I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of 'em. Hope this helps.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 08, 2013, 10:52:15 AM
Pretty sure "Moondreams" is much more Paley than Wilson. The released version of "Desert Drive" is a complete re-recording.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Camus on December 08, 2013, 02:17:01 PM
Chain Reaction of Love is a fantastic song.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on December 08, 2013, 08:59:08 PM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.

You're a great poster Wirestone, but I don't like seeing the wrong people getting credit. I'm pretty sure it was c-man who said when the lead is from, and it's actually 1999.

True, it was I who shared that tidbit of info - after Alan told me!  :)

So c-man, any good news on having that sessionography out before Christmas?? I'm really looking forward to the day I get to check that out. However, I know the wait will be worth it.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jay on December 09, 2013, 12:36:13 AM
Are there any other songs from that time period that are as good as You're Still A Mystery, that are unreleased?

Well there are quite a few "Brian Wilson" songs from that era, mostly unreleased. It's pretty well known that most of the songs were apparently planned to be Beach Boys tunes, however only "Soul Searchin'" and "You're Still A Mystery" were anywhere close to being complete with Beach Boys vocals. There is also one other tune with Beach Boys vocals, that song being "Baywatch Nights" aka "Dancin' the Night Away", which has a cool rockin' backing track and a nice vocal by Carl, followed by a really nice part by the group. However, it was never finished, as far as we know. However, I suppose they coooouuuld have added vocals to it last year during the reunion? Sure hope they did.

As far as the other BW songs from this era, here's what I know of:

"This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight" (released as b-side of solo "Do It Again" single)
"In My Moondreams" (released on the album Pulp Surfin')
"Gettin' In Over My Head" (released in a rerecorded version on GIOMH)
"Desert Drive" (released with 2002 [?] vocal on GIOMH)
"Saturday Morning In The City" (released with rerecorded vocal on GIOMH)
"Sweets For My Sweet" (released on Till The Night Is Gone: A Tribute To Doc Pomus)
"This Could Be The Night" (absolutely awesome Nilsson cover, released on For The Love Of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson)
"Chain Reaction of Love"
"Mary Anne"
"Market Place"
"Proud Mary"
"Must Be A Miracle"
"I'm Broke"
"It's Not Easy Being Me"
"Slightly American Music"
"God Did It"
"Some Sweet Day"
"Frankie Avalon"
"Elbow '63"
"Goin' Home"
(not the song from TLOS)


I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of 'em. Hope this helps.
It still bugs me that a 1995-96 beach boys album of selections from this material didn't happen. A 1995 version of Getting In Over My Head with that Brian lead, and backing vocals from the full group could have been breathtaking.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: c-man on December 09, 2013, 03:41:56 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.

You're a great poster Wirestone, but I don't like seeing the wrong people getting credit. I'm pretty sure it was c-man who said when the lead is from, and it's actually 1999.

True, it was I who shared that tidbit of info - after Alan told me!  :)

So c-man, any good news on having that sessionography out before Christmas?? I'm really looking forward to the day I get to check that out. However, I know the wait will be worth it.

Christmas-ish.  :)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: STE on December 09, 2013, 03:45:18 AM


C-Man, if you get Adam to pull out the multitracks, listen to the background vocals of the chorus in isolation and write them down for us, I will send you both an Italian panettone as Xmas present.



Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 09, 2013, 04:38:45 AM
The bootleg floating around is the same version as MIC, just faster, I'm fairly certain. And It's been confirmed by people who know that it's Carl with Matt Jardine on the high part.

This is not true. Brian's lead is different -- according to Alan Boyd, it was recut in 2000. The boot lead comes from at least five years before, and sounds it.

You're a great poster Wirestone, but I don't like seeing the wrong people getting credit. I'm pretty sure it was c-man who said when the lead is from, and it's actually 1999.

True, it was I who shared that tidbit of info - after Alan told me!  :)

So c-man, any good news on having that sessionography out before Christmas?? I'm really looking forward to the day I get to check that out. However, I know the wait will be worth it.

Christmas-ish.  :)

That's Christmas-ish this year ?  ;D


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: c-man on December 10, 2013, 03:45:44 AM


C-Man, if you get Adam to pull out the multitracks, listen to the background vocals of the chorus in isolation and write them down for us, I will send you both an Italian panettone as Xmas present.



Although Adam has been helping me in other ways, I doubt I'll get him to pull out the multitracks. Alan maybe, but not Adam.
Wait, we ARE talking Marsland and Boyd, right? Or is it Jardine?  :)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 10, 2013, 04:05:35 AM
No - Adam Adamant, of course.  :)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Micha on December 11, 2013, 01:52:08 AM
The released version of "Desert Drive" is a complete re-recording.

VERY UNFORTUNATELY YES. The unreleased version has so much more drive. If I imagine that with a Mike lead on a 1996 BB album... the last of the car song classics!

Chain Reaction of Love is a fantastic song.

Rocks more than any song on TWGMTR, more creative than many of them.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: STE on December 11, 2013, 01:59:48 AM


C-Man, if you get Adam to pull out the multitracks, listen to the background vocals of the chorus in isolation and write them down for us, I will send you both an Italian panettone as Xmas present.



Although Adam has been helping me in other ways, I doubt I'll get him to pull out the multitracks. Alan maybe, but not Adam.
Wait, we ARE talking Marsland and Boyd, right? Or is it Jardine?  :)

Whoops! My bad, yes I meant Alan B!

Well yes, I was obviously referring to Adam Jardine!
Are you implying that he cannot simply walk to the vaults, get the tapes out, do what he wants to them, then share info on the Internet?
So what are the benefits of being a son of a beach then?!?


But alright, if you want to ask Alan Boyd I suppose we can exceptionally accept that..




Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on December 11, 2013, 02:24:08 AM
"Desert Drive" has always amused me, by dint of its very existence. Why, you ask ?  Well, I recall an interview with Andy Paley in which he stated that one of his prime duties was to keep Brian from recycling old riffs...  ::)


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Bittersweet-Sanity on December 11, 2013, 03:32:54 AM
LoL

Say, AGD, would you happen to know where the instrumental version of Your Imagination originates? That one w/ the 'da-da-da-dah-dum' scatting. Better than the album version, imo.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: c-man on December 11, 2013, 04:06:22 AM
LoL

Say, AGD, would you happen to know where the instrumental version of Your Imagination originates? That one w/ the 'da-da-da-dah-dum' scatting. Better than the album version, imo.

Better, perhaps - but too reminicent of the "Mentos" theme song, which is why the melody was changed to what it is today.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Micha on December 11, 2013, 04:41:36 AM
"Desert Drive" with the Salt Lake City riff rules! ;D


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: donald on July 13, 2014, 07:47:08 PM
Just finished listening , for the first time, to MIC from start to finish! no skipping tracks.   still a Mystery, in this context, jumped right out and grabbed me.  I,d listened to it casually but not in this context.   Wondering exactly when this was recorded in relationship to Soul Searching.   Reminds me of the 88 lp but has BB vocals.   apologize for not being up to speed on this but I'm really curious on the time frame and circumstances of this song.  what can you tell me?


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Wirestone on July 13, 2014, 10:02:38 PM
Recorded at the same time as SS, from the BW/Paley collaborations (95). BW lead on the MIC version is from a few years later, though. More deets can be found on this thread.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: Jim V. on July 13, 2014, 10:23:36 PM
Actually, I got a question which might be unanswerable by those on this board...

Why was the vocal re-recorded in 1999? I highly doubt that any Beach Boys work was in the pipeline. Perhaps the plan was to keep the instrumental track, and wipe the Boys backgrounds? Or perhaps there is another version with a wall-of-Brians instead of The Beach Boys, a la "Soul Searchin'"? I have to assume there was a reason he did this then.


Title: Re: You're Still A Mystery
Post by: HeyJude on July 14, 2014, 06:39:26 AM
Actually, I got a question which might be unanswerable by those on this board...

Why was the vocal re-recorded in 1999? I highly doubt that any Beach Boys was in the pipeline. Perhaps the plan was to keep the instrumental track, and wipe the Boys backgrounds? Or perhaps there is another version with a wall-of-Brians instead of The Beach Boys, a la "Soul Searchin'"? I have to assume there was a reason he did this then.

I don’t think the precise reasoning for re-cutting the vocal in late 1999 is known. It was only after the set came out that we got the bit of information concerning when the vocal was re-cut. Apparently, the compilers didn’t even know about the re-cut lead vocal until they found it. (I’d be curious to know if they recorded over the original lead vocal, assuming this was all cut on analog tape; I would presume they wouldn’t erase the original vocal, but who knows?)

I would imagine it is more likely they were targeting a potential solo release of the song in late 1999. I recall that Brian had started cutting some stuff again with Andy Paley around 2000-2001 or so, but I don’t know if that had anything to do with the re-cutting the lead for “YSAM” in 1999. Not sure what kind of stuff Brian was recording at that stage. Thomas was out of the picture, and at that stage Brian was doing his little mini-tours in the US.

I’d also be curious to know if there were any Brian backing vocals cut at that 1999 session to “replace” BB backing vocals, if indeed he was toying with putting it out as a solo release.

Knowing how the BB’s and Brian have done stuff over the years, and how they have operated, while I’m sure there was some impetus and germ of an idea behind Brian re-cuting the vocal, I also wouldn’t be surprised if it was just a quick passing thought that motivated the recording rather than a firm, grandiose plan that was later abandoned.